ASM Participation in the Malaysian and Indian Conferences on Microbiology

As a result of the dedicated efforts of our ASM International Ambassadors network, ASM had a significant participation in the two important microbiology conferences held in Malaysia and India. International meetings represent one of ASM's most effective means to personally connect with our international members and demonstrate our interest in being an active participant at the global level.

Thong Kwai-Lin, ASM Ambassador Caucus Chair and Ambassador to Southeast Asia, chaired the organizing committee for the International Congress of the Malaysian Society for Microbiology held 1-4 December 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is the first time the Malaysian Society for Microbiology (MSM) organized an international congress bringing together distinguished microbiologists in various disciplines, including ASM-sponsored speaker John W. Costerton, fondly known as the "grandfather of biofilms." Said Thong, "As the world's most recognized microbiological society, ASM's participation added more value and prominence to MSM's International Congress. It is likely that this support contributed to the record number of attendees which at 450, was a 100% increase from previous years; additional registrants were denied due to limited sitting capacity." Feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive, lecture halls were full at every session, and most importantly, it generated a lot of discussion and networking opportunities among the budding young microbiologists. The congress was an ideal venue for promoting ASM activities. In addition to his scientific lecture, ASM Ambassador to the Indian Ocean Sunil Lal gave a talk on the many benefits and opportunities of being an ASM member. ASM also had a booth where interested attendees could network, meet their ASM Ambassador or Country Liaison, and receive further information about relevant programs. Finally, the congress provided a meeting point for ASM Country Liaisons and regional Ambassadors to exchange ideas, which is important for strengthening the international network. MSM is planning the next international congress for 2011.

In addition to his participation in the International Congress of the MSM, Ambassador Lal worked with the organizing committee of the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) to coordinate a similar presence at the AMI 50th Anniversary Meeting held 15-18 December 2009 in Pune, India. ASM sponsored the participation of Edmundo Calva, chair of the ASM International Membership Committee, who delivered a plenary lecture on microbial pathogenesis as well as a presentation on ASM. ASM student member Adarsh Mayank hosted a complimentary ASM booth where attendees were able to join and renew their membership on site in local currency. Calva also engaged leadership from the Indian microbiology community in discussion on how ASM could become a more active partner in the region. Calva expressed, "I was impressed by the wide breath of topics, literally from space to soil microbiology, and it was interesting to see the emphasis on biotechnology and on the use of indigenous resources through microbiology." Lal was also encouraged by ASM's activities at the event and the AMI's openness to highlighting ASM's presence. Said Lal, "Over the years I find more and more interest has been brewing with Southeast Asian students for ASM and its international activities. They are more interested in joining and becoming active participants in what they now perceive to be an international organization. They want to get more involved and become members of ASM and feel that through this, they take another step forward towards fulfilling their academic goals in life."


ASM/UNESCO Visiting Resource Person Program

For over 10 years the ASM/UNESCO Visiting Resource Person (VRP) Program has proven to be a cost-effective way for microbiologists around the world to share scientific knowledge and develop international connections. Funded by UNESCO and administered by ASM, this program allows scientists who are traveling to resource limited countries on other business to spend an extra day at a local institution where they present a scientific lecture and interact with faculty and students. The program supplements scientists' existing travel budgets with small grants, on average $250, that cover the cost of the extended stay. Since 1999 over 60 scientists have participated in the VRP Program in more than 25 countries worldwide; program participants report that the VRP grant is a rewarding way to enhance an international trip.

Joanne Fox of the University of British Columbia, discussing her August 2009 visit to the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography & Marine Research, noted that "This visit was an effective way for me to share my expertise and provide scientific contributions to an audience of scientists with whom I would not normally have interacted. Personally, this whole experience has been very rewarding-one of those experiences that helps you remember why science is important." Though VRP visits are short, they can benefit many local scientists. When Nisha Jain Garg, University of Texas Medical Branch, used her 2009 VRP award to extend a business trip to Mexico she was impressed by the high level of participation in her lectures at the University of the State of Chiapas campuses at Tuxtla and Tapachula; over 350 students attended in person and via satellite. Garg recalls that, "At both campuses, students were very enthusiastic and eager to learn."

One of the many benefits of this program is that it brings new knowledge to the host institution. Cheryl Quinn, who visited the Family Health Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in November 2009 said, "My presentation focused on the issues and hurdles of preclinical drug discovery, something none of them had experienced or learned about in their training. . .We spent three hours in informal presentation and discussion before all going to lunch together where they continued to ask many questions about the drug discovery process." Similarly, when Michael Galperin, National Institutes of Health, participated in the

I Annual Meeting of the Chilean Society of Microbiology (SOMICH) in December 2009, a VRP grant allowed his hosts to arrange for his travel to the Fundacio´n Ciencia para la Vida in nearby Santiago to make a presentation to local students who were not able attend the SOMICH meeting. When asked about the potential benefits of his visit Galperin notes, "I would like to think that I have provided the attendees with an inside look at microbial genome annotation and analysis processes that they would not get elsewhere."

The VRP's involvement does not necessarily end with their visit; many VRP's find that their visit results in new collaborations and the strengthening of existing relationships. The experiences of past awardees demonstrate that an extra day spent as a VRP can have far-reaching affects that will continue to benefit the participants even after the end of the visit. It is clear that this program is a practical and rewarding way to foster microbiology at home and abroad.

ASM is currently soliciting applications for the 2010 VRP Program. For more information and application materials, visit the International Affairs website at http://www.asm.org/international/vrp.